Get Your Old Photos Scanned
As we’ve made the switch to digital photography, it’s possible to back up multiple copies of photos everywhere. But what about all those photos that pre-date digital cameras?
Last year, my husband and I decided it was time to get our parents’ photos from the good old film days scanned and archived.
We used ScanMyPhotos.com (not sponsored or compensated in any way; we paid full price for everything). We purchased the PrePaid Photo Scanning box and opted for scanning at 600dpi, with the add-on for having photos scanned in order.
After you place your order, the company sends you a flat rate USPS box for you to fill with as many photos will fit (without overfilling or bulging out the box). The instruction sheets they send are pretty clear with how they’d like the photos packaged.
All of these albums from my parents’ house only filled one flat rate box. To utilize the “Scan in Order” feature, we just had to label an index card and bundle it together with the photos with a rubber band.
The box came labeled with the proper addresses and invoice number. We just need to pack the invoice slip in the box, seal it up and drop it off at the post office. Within two to four weeks, we got our photos back, along with a disc containing all of the digital copies.
I’d say the scan quality is very good, considering the original photos were up to 30 years old, printed at the local drugstore, and collecting dust for all these years.
Here’s a photo of me from 1986; completely unedited except for cropping and resizing.
One caveat is that they won’t scan professionally taken photos where you don’t hold the license or print release. To be on the safe side, we made sure not to send any school or professional studio photos.
Overall, it was worth the money to get all of those memories preserved. It’s tough to say how much these originals might degrade over time.
Have you archived your pre-digital photos in any way? Did you scan yourself or hire a service?
Photo Series: Document the Trash
Have you ever noticed that trash cans take on different designs everywhere you go? I think I first noticed trash cans at Walt Disney World. There, the trash cans take on various colors and patterns to match up to the themed lands of Disney.
Since then, it’s been a quirk of mine to include trash can photos when I’m visiting someplace new. It’s like I enjoy being weird.
And just by pure luck, when we were at Griffith Park having our engagement photos taken in 2012, we spotted a trash can with some cute graffiti on it. Destiny, much?
photo by The Goodness
Any quirky shots that you like to grab when you travel?
Presents for You: Brush Lettered Thoreau Quote
I love quotes. And I love to letter them out. And I’m happy to be able to share with you!
Use for Project Life, scrapbook, art journals, or just print it out and hang on your walls. Just click the links below to download the version you desire.
Click on photos for JPG
8×10 inch Purple PDF
8×10 inch Charcoal PDF
Transparent PNG
I’d love to see what you’re doing with my lettering and you can share your great ideas with others too! Tag me on instagram @randomolive and use the hashtag #randomoliveletters.
Personal use only. (Because these words are neither yours or mine to sell.)
Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to see lettered? Suggest it in the comments!
Embrace Your Love of Disney
I have a little obsession with Disney-themed art on my walls. When we first started putting frames together for the gallery wall in my entryway, we didn’t have enough pictures to fill all the frames. I had found some cool vintage Disney posters on the internet and printed them on a color printer just to fill the frames. [by the way, I don’t recommend doing this… it’s pretty much stealing from artists!]
Over the years though, we’ve slowly amassed legitimate sources of Disney art. Like the vintage-style posters from the grand opening of Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure. Some actual photographs taken at Disney parks. And some cute postcards purchased at the Wonderland Gallery.
I’m also the proud owner of the book, Poster Art of the Disney Parks
We had even incorporated the famous Carl&Ellie mailbox from Up into our wedding as a place for our guests to put their cards. Now, it sits in our entryway, signaling to all who enter that “here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.” (Comment below if you can identify the quote!).
photo by The Goodness
Love Your Life: a book review
If you haven’t already noticed, I’m a bit of a personal development junkie. I’m very interested in reading nonfiction books and resources that claim to improve my life somehow. Love Your Life by Domonique Bertolucci
How this Book is Organized
1. The left page of each spread contains a quote.
2. The right page of each spread is a related tip.
3. Topics appear in no particular order, but covers: goal-setting, fitness, gratitude, relationships, dreaming, and values.
Overall Impression
This was a quick read and reinforces many principles in other goal-setting and personal development resources. It’s concise in giving key recommendations.
Useful For
This book is useful for those of you who need quick reminders and motivators for self-improvement. Also great for people who love motivational quotes. I jotted down tons of them to work into my Friday quotes series.
Amazon links are affiliate.
Presents for You: Brush Lettered Lincoln Quote
I love quotes. And I love to letter them out. And I’m happy to be able to share with you!
Use for Project Life, scrapbook, art journals, or just print it out and hang on your walls. Just click the links below to download the version you desire.
Click on photos for JPG
8×10 inch Blue PDF
8×10 inch Charcoal PDF
Transparent PNG
I’d love to see what you’re doing with my lettering and you can share your great ideas with others too! Tag me on instagram @randomolive and use the hashtag #randomoliveletters.
Personal use only. (Because these words are neither yours or mine to sell.)
Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to see lettered? Suggest it in the comments!
Is it Olivia or Olive?
Ever since I discovered the internet as a source of entertainment, I’ve gone by Olive in the online world. Various screennames over the decade have incorporated Olive and if I was lucky enough to get it, my screen name would just be “olive” if I was early enough. Five letters. Two syllables. Short. Sweet.
In real life, I go by Olivia – my given name. I do like my name. It’s unique enough where I’m almost always the only Olivia in the world. I used to be bummed that there’d never be any inventory of my name for personalized souvenirs, but I got over it when I realized I liked being unique better than that.
So what should you call me? Either one!
Do you have a preferred nickname? Do you use a different nickname in different areas of your life
Project Life 2015 Gameplan
With the new routine that I’ve set up for working on my project life layouts in a monthly format, I’m actually on track to complete my 2014 album shortly after the new year. That means I can start the planning process for how I’ll tackle 2015.
Here’s the gameplan!
1. Dedicate Time
I have one and a half hours every Saturday afternoon unless I’m out of town or have something else scheduled. (I’m going to let you in on a secret… this is the time when my husband goes to church and I stay home like a heathen)
2. Plan My Tasks
For each available Project Life timechunk, I pre-plan what I’m supposed to work on. This reduces decision fatigue so I can get started right away.
3. Organize by Month
This is continued from 2014 and I really loved how it expedited my process!
4. Select Photos
After each month is over, I make sure I’ve imported all the photos from all the sources (DSLR, point and shoot, my iPhone, my husband’s iPhone). I use Photomechanic to select out my favorites from each source and then copy them into a working folder for Project Life. I always name my photo files with the date, so the pictures sort themselves into chronological order. This is a totally separate task from working on layouts.
5. Use One Core Kit per Month
Totally works for me to keep things cohesive. Also, I pre-plan this so I don’t have to think about it. I really aim to reduce decision fatigue and set up creative constraints so I can get things done!
6. Incorporate Brush Lettering
I plan on using my own brush lettering for month headers and other embellishments. (get your own copy + a freebie here)
7. Use a Consistent Font Scheme
2015 Font Palette: Oil Can and Adria Slab
8. Catch up on 2013 Photos
I am scheduling in time here to work on my 2013 layouts. With my dedicated time, I think I’ll actually make it!
9. Write Blog Posts
I’ll continue to share my layouts here on the blog to share my capture ideas and get-it-done attitude about scrapping.
10. Enjoy my Photos
This is really the best part. Because of the lag time between when I take the photo, and then sort the photo, and then work with the photo, I get to experience stuff three times! It’s fun to look back and think to myself, “hey, remember that?!” This is definitely my reason for continuing on this Project Life process.
If you also do Project Life, what’s your gameplan? What’s your reason why?
For more info on my general approach to Project Life, check out this blog post.
Project Life is a memory-keeping system created by Becky Higgins. She’s awesome. Go visit her website for more information or watch her 3-day course on CreativeLive.
Presents for You: Brush Lettered Michael Jordan Quote
I love quotes. And I love to letter them out. And I’m happy to be able to share with you!
Use for Project Life, scrapbook, art journals, or just print it out and hang on your walls. Just click the links below to download the version you desire.
Click on photos for JPG
8×10 inch Orange PDF
8×10 inch Charcoal PDF
Transparent PNG
I’d love to see what you’re doing with my lettering and you can share your great ideas with others too! Tag me on instagram @randomolive and use the hashtag #randomoliveletters.
Personal use only. (Because these words are neither yours or mine to sell.)
Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to see lettered? Suggest it in the comments!
Resource Round-Up: Working with PNG Files
photo by Death to Stock Photography
When I’m working on my digital scrapbooking, the word art that I like to use is in PNG format so that I have tons of customization options. I can layer over photos, resize to fit the space I want/need, and customize the colors.
Check out some of my word art for sale (plus a word art freebie!) in this post.
For those of you new to using PNG files in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, I’ve rounded up some video tutorials and resources for you.
How to Recolor PNGs by Cathy Zielske
Click here for Cathy’s original blog post and written instructions.
HowToRecolorPNGs from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
Working with Digital Stamps by Cathy Zielske
Click here for Cathy’s original blog post and written instructions.
Working With Digital Stamps from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
How to Work with Photo Flag PNGs by Cathy Zielske
Click here for Cathy’s original blog post and written instructions.
CZ Design: How to work with photo flag PNG files from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.
Working with Layered Sentiments by Ali Edwards
Click here for Ali’s original blog post and written instructions.
3×4 Layered Sentiment How To from Ali Edwards on Vimeo.
Any other awesome tutorials or resources for using PNG files? Share them below!
